Bill O’Reilly thinks Donald Trump’s only mistake when he made a bigoted attack on the grieving parents of a Muslim war hero was a tactical one of “rid[ing] over into the area where you’re gonna get hammered.”

Rather than have a full discussion on the subject, O’Reilly worked Trump’s attack on Khizr Khan and his wife, Ghazala Khan, into a discussion about voter reaction to Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton at their conventions. “First, we have to deal with this Muslim father/Trump controversy that has erupted,” O’Reilly said, as if it were a nuisance.

“Captain Khan is a true American hero,” O'Reilly acknowledged about the Khans’ son, Humayun S.M. Khan. “So the Democratic Party brought his father into the convention to scold Donald Trump about his proposed Muslim immigration policy.” O’Reilly added, “After that, Trump hit back.”

Memo to O’Reilly: when someone “hits back,” it implies malice.

O’Reilly then brought on pollster Frank Luntz, with the following introduction.

O’REILLY: Joining us now from Los Angeles, Frank Luntz who we asked to conduct a so-called dial session where regular folks, in this case uncommitted voters in Ohio, analyze statements from Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton. The Khan/Trump controversy was included in the session.

Luntz called Khan’s speech “the number one moment from both conventions.” We saw a clip of Khan rhetorically asking Trump, “Have you ever been to Arlington Cemetery” and “You have sacrificed nothing and no one.” We also saw extremely high approval ratings from the Republicans in Luntz’s group. We also saw a clip of Trump's bigoted attack on Ghazala Khan, in which he suggested she was not allowed to speak because she has been squelched by her (radical) faith. Not shown was Trump's heartless argument that he has sacrificed as much as the Khans because he's such a successful businessman.

“This is a big mistake from the Trump campaign, from Donald Trump,” Luntz said gravely.

O’Reilly quickly chimed in, “And from both parties.” He never explained how the Democrats erred - other than by making a Republican presidential candidate look so bad that even Republicansarecondemning him.

“I’m gonna ask Trump about this tomorrow,” O’Reilly promised, because his milkshake BFF will be on the show. This, after Trump appears on the Hannity show tonight and Ivanka Trump appears on On The Record tomorrow, too.

“It’s interesting,” O’Reilly continued, “I don’t think Trump meant any malice by it but if you do identity politics by saying the Muslim woman might not have been able to talk, then you ride over into the area where you’re gonna get hammered.”

So the only thing Trump did wrong, according to O’Reilly, was a political faux pas. Not that it was unconscionable to make a bigoted smear against a Gold Star mother, it was just a strategic mistake.

And while he was looking out for Trump, under the guise of “looking out for you," O’Reilly didn’t ask for reaction from Luntz’ group to Trump’s attack on the Khans.

Showing 7 reactions

Hello. Home Depot? This is Bill O’Reilly. I need another order of whitewash delivered ASAP. Yes, I know you delivered a tanker truck of whitewash yesterday! Bit you know… Trump… this Khan thing… just make it quick!!! 👀

#RNCinCLE did the same thing like trotting out the mother of someone killed at #Benghazi! who blamed Hillary for his death. The Clinton campaign didn’t immediately unleash a Twitter storm to attack her nor were surrogates sent to do the talk show circuit to discredit and smear the mother. Hillary is both empathetic and respectful when asked about the mother’s #RNCinCLE accusations.

Now contrast Trump attacking and smearing a Gold Star family critical of his immigration policy.

You know the Foxies know they’re in trouble when they say, as Greta and Bill did tonight, that “both parties do it”. Actually, Bill, Hillary was more gracious to the mother of the fallen Benghazi victim who accused Hillary of murder than Trump was to this Muslim mother who simply mourned.

How fitting that The Elephant is The Republican Party symbol. With nominee Donald T. Rump, being The Elephant making the mess, and his Milk Shake Groupie Bill O’Reilly Jr. right behind him with the Broom and Shovel. Foreman of The Turd Containment Crew.